 "The end could be nigh for Nikki Haley's campaign for the Republican nomination for president.")
It’s Tuesday.
And it’s set to be a truly massive day for news.
The United States is set to hold one of the biggest days on its election calendar with delegates in 16 states across the nation up for grabs.
The Ministry of Defence will sign a deal to acquire over 200 BrahMos missiles for the Indian Navy.
The Supreme Court is hearing AAP minister Sanjay Singh’s plea in the Delhi excise policy case.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a slew of developmental projects in Odisha.
And defence minister Rajnath Singh will be inaugurating the new building of Goa’s Naval War College.
Let’s take a closer look at today’s big-ticket items:
Super Tuesday
Will Donald Trump seal Nikki Haley’s fate today?
The former president is set to drown the last woman standing against him in a sea of delegates – that too the day after the ex-governor beat Trump in the Republican primary in Washington DC.
Both Biden and Trump, the overwhelming front-runners for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations respectively, appeared to be well on their way to securing their parties’ nominations before today’s vote.
With the majority of delegates up for grabs today from Alaska and California to Virginia and Vermont, strong performances by Biden and Trump will move them much closer to becoming their party’s nominee.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsWhile Haley has insisted she wants to stay in the race all the way up to the convention, the truth is that pressure on her to drop out and endorse Trump is rising.
Haley has recently seen one of her big donors – the Koch brothers backed Americans For Prosperity – announced it will stop spending on her behalf after South Carolina.
Is the end nigh for Haley?
There’s no such drama on the Democratic side however, as Biden looks poised to wrap up the nomination.
Indian Navy signs contract
The BrahMos Aerospace and Ministry of Defence are set to sign a contract to acquire 200 BrahMos extended-range supersonic cruise missiles for deployment on Indian Navy warships.
The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the Rs 19,000 crore deal in February.
The BrahMos is the main weapon for anti-ship and attack operations for the Indian navy warships which have been regularly firing the weapon system.
BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture of India and Russia, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
Two separate deals have been concluded for procurement of Brahmos missiles.
The first one is for procurement of BrahMos missiles from the BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd (BAPL) at a cost of Rs 19,518.65 crore.
“These missiles would be utilized to meet combat outfit and training requirements of the Indian Navy,” the defence ministry said.
The second contract is for procurement of the ship-borne BrahMos system from the BAPL at a cost of Rs 988 crore.
These missiles would be the Indian Navy’s primary weapon for maritime strike operations and the weapons would be fitted onboard various frontline warships.
The system is capable of hitting land or sea targets from extended ranges with pinpoint accuracy at supersonic speeds.
Supreme Court hears Sanjay Singh plea
The Supreme Court is set to hear a bail plea from AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a money-laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
Singh has challenged a Delhi High Court order refusing him bail in the case.
The high court had on 7 February rejected the bail application of Singh, who was been re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Delhi, but directed the trial court to expedite the trial once it starts.
Singh was arrested in the case by the ED on 4 October, 2023.
The apex court bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta had on 26 February sought the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) response on Singh’s bail plea.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing in the court on behalf of Singh, sought the issuance of a notice on the bail plea and requested for tagging the plea along with the pending matter.
He said the pending matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on March 5 and therefore, both the matters should be taken up together.
The bench agreed to the request and said both the pleas will be taken up together.
PM Modi unveils slew of projects
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil development projects worth over Rs 19,600 crore in Odisha today.
The prime minister will unveil the projects from a function in Chandikhole in Jajpur district, an official statement said.
Incidentally, 5 March also happens to be the birth anniversary of former chief minister Biju Patnaik, after whom the ruling BJD is named.
Following the official programme, he will address a rally of the BJP in Jajpur, considered a stronghold of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The PM will inaugurate Indian Oil Corp’s mono ethylene glycol project at the Paradip Refinery.
He will also inaugurate a 344-km-long product pipeline from Paradip in Odisha to Haldia in West Bengal. He will also inaugurate 0.6 mmtpa LPG import facility at Paradip.
Modi will dedicate to the nation four-laning of the Singhara-Binjabahal section of NH-49, four-laning of the Binjabahal-Tileibani section of NH-49, four-laning of the Balasore-Jharpokharia section of NH-18, and four-laning of the Tangi-Bhubaneswar Section of NH-16.
He will also lay the foundation stone for the eight-laning of Chandikhole-Paradip road.
The PM had last visited the state on 3 February and unveiled projects worth over Rs 68,000 crore.
He had also addressed a political rally during that trip.
Rajnath Singh unveils new building in Goa’s naval college
Defence minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate a new building of the Naval War College in Goa today.
The modern edifice is named the “Chola”, in commemoration of the maritime empire of the Chola dynasty.
The College of Naval Warfare was initially established at INS Karanja in 1988 to impart advanced professional military education to the middle and senior-level officers.
The college was rechristened as the Naval War College in 2010 and shifted to its current location in Goa in 2011.
The mission of the college is to prepare the officers of the armed forces for leadership at the strategic and operational levels.
The college also conducts a maritime security course, wherein military officers from India’s maritime neighbourhood also participate and collaborate to foster an open, secure and inclusive Indian Ocean region.
“Defence Minister Singh will inaugurate the new state-of-the-art admin-cum-training building of the Naval War College at Goa on March 5,” the Navy said in a statement.
On this day…
On this day in 1933, President Franklin D Roosevelt launched his famed New Deal.
Roosevelt, during the depression, also called on Congress to convene for a Special Session beginning 9 March.
The move came just a day after Roosevelt was sworn in as the 32nd President of the United States.
Roosevelt on 6 March wouldissue Proclamation 2039 which suspended all banking transactions effective immediately
The terms of the presidential proclamation stated that “no such banking institution or branch shall pay out, export, earmark, or permit the withdrawal or transfer in any manner or by any device whatsoever, of any gold or silver coin or bullion or currency or take any other action which might facilitate the hoarding thereof; nor shall any such banking institution or branch pay out deposits, make loans or discounts, deal in foreign exchange, transfer credits from the United States to any place abroad, or transact any other banking business whatsoever.”
With inputs from agencies